As a long time student of Dr. R.C. Sproul I can think of no other living theologian with a more biblical worldview or a greater knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. To clarify, there are certainly some theologians teaching today that are of the same caliber; however, none that I would consider to be a better source of scriptural expertise.
Recently, Dr. Sproul has done a very comprehensive audio/video lecture series on the biblical doctrine of election/predestination. When time permits, I’ll post, under this topic, the web links to the .MP3 (audio) files in the sequence that they were originally presented. In the lecture segments that I’ve studied so far, it is very interesting to learn what various Christian denominations have done to the interpretation of this most crucial doctrine. Everything from completely ignoring the plain language of Scripture; to the molding of “election” into a “man centered” doctrine of self-determination. Amazing!
I’ll leave further commentary for future posts.
I understand that this subject has been broached and discussed in other areas of this forum. However, I could not in good conscience pass up the opportunity to share such a high quality, well presented, and most importantly, SCRIPTURALLY FAITHFUL work of biblical exegesis.
I’ll second your recommendation, Dan. I’ve been listening to this series on his radio program, “Renewing Your Mind”, and it really is worth the time investment. RC Sproul is such a clear thinker.
Your kind words and your concurrence regarding Dr. Sproul both are greatly appreciated.
Let us pray:
“May the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, bless our hearing of this teaching series. May He keep us from prideful error, and most importantly, we ask that He write His Truth onto our hearts. All this we ask in the name of the Father. and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen”
Dr. Sproul himself admits that this doctrine is a difficult one to understand until its full scope is studied and understood in and by “Sola Scriptura”. I hope and pray that all here will find the teachings in this series to be edifying and helpful in gaining a fuller understanding of the biblical doctrine that is called “The Heart of Scripture”.
I’m looking forward to any feedback. comments. and reflection from our brothers and sisters on this forum…
Note: As I’m sure most of you know, “Right Click” and the “Save As” in Windows should work on these links.
A Good and Blessed day to all. I’m new here but I thank God for leading me to this wonderful ministry. I was searching for bonafide information that would allow me to finally find peace with an area in my life that I’ve been struggling with for a very long time, and that is the consequences of unconfessed sin, wondering and worrying that if I couldn’t remember all my sins could I find peace with God and was I out of fellowship with Him because I may not have confessed every-every-every sin, but I’ll post my thoughts on unconfessed sin in that particular forum.
I have been a Christian for many years but was a Christian for about 30 years before I ever heard any teachings on Predestination. I was blessed to have become a member of a church that had a pastor who believed in preaching the whole Bible and who labored constantly in intense study of the Word. He was always in a seminary, ending up with several degrees, including two Doctorates. No subject did he shun. He also introduced us to other men of God such as Dr RC Sproul as other sources for us to go to because they were trustworthy, spiritually reliable men whom he knew were going to stick to sound doctrine. It was in the early 8os when I became a member the congregation where he was pastor and this is when I began to learn of so many doctrines and lessons of the Bible that I’d never heard of, including the doctrine of Predestination and Election, and many other wonderful things I’d never had preached or taught to me.
I was blessed to find “for the Gospel good news for Adventists” a couple of days ago; and once I landed on this site, I was here for more than six hours the first day that I discovered this site and have been here today already for almost 4 hours. I get up early every morning between 5 and 6 AM and this is when I begin my prayer and study. This site is not only “good news for Adventists” but for anyone who seeks TRUTH. There is so much information here, it’s like I found a gold mine! It’s a gold strike!
I’ve listened to the first audio by Dr Sproul, the introduction to his series on Predestination but felt compelled to pause long enough to say THANKS to all of you for putting all of this together. I thank GOD, so much, for leading me to your web site. I have been so blessed in just the little time I’ve been here. I’ve kinda sorta gotten addicted already to this wonderful place.
Unfortunately, my former pastor relocated to Michigan, then Texas, so with his departure, there went the good teaching. But, thanks to him, I do have the advantage of having been taught the correct views on so many doctrines, including Predestination. Unfortunately, I have since been anguished by the distortion of this doctrine (and others) by various other preachers and teachers. I’m blessed today to find the audio lessons by Dr. Sproul and after I post this message, I’m going to go back and listen to the rest of his teachings on Predestination and be blessed all over again.
I pray God’s special blessings on the “keepers” of this site.
Thanks Dan for posting these excellent sermons. Like Aaron, I agree with your assessment of the teaching of RC Sproul
Stan
May I add my thanks to Dan as well? Thank you, Dan. Also, I, too, agree with Aaron’s assessment of the teachings of Dr Sproul.
Welcome Jericho to 4TG! Praise God for His wondrous grace. I am glad you found us here. Looking forward to hearing more from you. Would also be curious about how you were led to this site.
I also thank Greg for assembling a very helpful website with excellent resources.
Thanks Dan for posting these excellent sermons. Like Aaron, I agree with your assessment of the teaching of RC Sproul
Stan
May I add my thanks to Dan as well? Thank you, Dan. Also, I, too, agree with Aaron’s assessment of the teachings of Dr Sproul.
Welcome Jericho to 4TG! Praise God for His wondrous grace. I am glad you found us here. Looking forward to hearing more from you. Would also be curious about how you were led to this site.
I also thank Greg for assembling a very helpful website with excellent resources.
I am glad you find RC Sproul so helpful.
Stan
Stan - nice to hear from you again. God bless you for your genuine concern for me and praise God for Greg for assembling this blessed ministry and making it available on line so that anyone who wishes to partake of all that is offered here are able to do so.
I did a Google search using the key words “unconfessed sins” and your site was on the 4th page. I read the sentence that followed the heading for 4TG web site that said, “Ellen White taught that if even one unconfessed sin was found in the heavenly record books, the professing Christian’s name would be blotted out from the ...”
My main reasons for entering this site were, 1) because I know of some of the erroneous teachings of Ms White, and 2) since I do know that our salvation is secure and cannot be lost (sealed by the Holy Spirit), I felt your article would be the one that would help me the most of all the other sites I’d visited. I know that even if people won’t admit it aloud, that as a backslider they know that their prayer life has been hindered while in the backsliden state, and though their relationship with God is intact, the fellowship has been broken. I know that even though born again we will sin, but how will a sinning Christian, who beats him/herself up and feels extra unworthy for it, how will they remember to ask for forgiveness when they’re praying less? As a result of praying less and even stopping praying for a time, this person will not always remember some of the things in which they’ve erred since the last time they appealed for forgiveness. When we/they do try to pray, some things have been forgotten. Nobody keeps a “Sin Diary.”
Sometimes when a person admits aloud that they have struggled or are struggling, they risk being judged severely and harshly by some, not all, Christians who feel they are in a position to judge (they’re so holy???), so we try to work these issues out all alone and that is not how it should be. The strong are to bear the infirmities of the weak, not make them feel even worse than they already are feeling. Romans 15:1 “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”
There are so many articles here explaining various doctrines that have been mis-taught until I just feel blessed to be learning, re-learning, re-affirming the teachings I was so blessed to have while a member of the congregation where there was a pastor who believed in teaching the Truth no matter if it did offend. I like to be offended by the Word, otherwise I may not know when I’m wrong sometime, many not know my weak areas and what I need to do to line up with God’s will.
Old Testament mentioned a “plumb line.” Amos 7:7-8: 7 Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the LORD stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. 8 And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the LORD, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:
I just thought of something completely off topic but I’ll post it anyway. I have participated in many sites. This is the first site where the number of edits are NOT counted and posted for the whole community to see how many times a person had to edit their mistakes or rearrange their thoughts. This is a Christ-like site. In other words, you don’t post a counter of our mistakes. Nobody reading this site knows how many mistakes were made before the comments were finally posted. Just saying…
I just thought of something completely off topic but I’ll post it anyway. I have participated in many sites. This is the first site where the number of edits are NOT counted and posted for the whole community to see how many times a person had to edit their mistakes or rearrange their thoughts. This is a Christ-like site. In other words, you don’t post a counter of our mistakes. Nobody reading this site knows how many mistakes were made before the comments were finally posted. Just saying…
Hey J7,
Have you been able to listen to the Sproul teaching series on Election/Predestination?
I was setting up a booklet project on MS word for my SDA wife and used the 6 page ‘The Pelagian Captivity of the Church’ by R.C. Sproul as a sample.
She read it and when questioned on what she thought, became very agitated, angry. Her CHOOSING to be saved is a top priority. The thought that God would ‘force’ her to be saved without her permission (which would be HER DECISION to say yes, allowing God to save her) she finds distasteful.
She does give credit to God the Holy Spirit who ‘supplies’ the necessary understanding, then we ‘make a decision’ whether to accept it or not. Somehow she fails to link ineffectiveness of the ‘understanding’ with the ‘decision’ not to accept. If the understanding is insufficient to assure a ‘yes’ decision it follows that either omnipotent God is not able or capriciously chooses not to pursue the ‘hardcases’.
If the former than God is not omnipotent, not God.
If the latter we would have to ask the question: Is the omnipotent God able to cause ALL (universalism) to decide to say yes to the Gospel? Both camps would answer with an unequivocal ‘YES’. Certainly He is able to save everyone.
Is everyone going to be saved? Both camps would agree with - NO.
Why ‘NO’?
The election camp can easily answer ‘because it is God who chooses whom He will save’.
13 Just as it is written, “JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED.” 14 What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! 15 For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.” 16 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH.” 18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. 19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” 20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? 21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? Romans 9:13-21 (NASB)
The ‘Free Willies’ do not have an answer without having to deal with either…
the inability of the Omnipotent Holy Spirit to convict (God would like to save them but they’re just too stubborn, man’s will trumps God’s will) or God CHOOSING not to pursue the stubborn beyond an unknown point, which means that ultimately ‘it is God who chooses’.
It’s a conundrum that Free Willies refuse to address
More rambling
When I was a Free Willie Adventist the term ‘decision’ in conjunction with the Gospel began to bug me.
If a man, dying of thirst in the desert, is offered a drink of life saving water, does he hesitate to make a ‘decision’ to drink the water as if there were alternatives? (’forget the water, I want a cold beer’) Or does he ‘respond’ to the offer by immediately drinking it without question?
If some of the Refomed back slapping each other and the near worship of one of their greats is making you gag, check out my review of Sproul’s Chosen By God.
How these guys can get so enamored of any new book that appears spouting the same-old-same-old 5 frayed petals is really beyond me. (A perfect set-up for a snappy come back, I know, but I choose to go with it anyway because it is my honest reaction.
R C Sproul is as confused about end time events as the rest of the Reformed fellows who have never accepted that God has done a new thing in forming the Church, the Bride of Christ while preparing the present Israel for future earthly glory.
God has done a new thing in forming the Church, the Bride of Christ while preparing the present Israel for future earthly glory.
Scrip
Pretribbers are fond of saying the Jesus will not subject his Bride to abuse, thus the pretrib rapture!
But the 144,000 along with future converts left to endure the hypothetical tribulation only represent another bride!
This is their sly way of doing the devils work of calling Jesus a polygamist at best, an adulterer at worst. And why not? God has promised to catch these little blasphemers in their craft!
“He catches the wise in their craftiness”
I don’t know a single pretribulation-teaching movement who doesn’t claim the Holy Spirit is responsible for their movement.
